Interview: Authors 4 Authors Publishing

A publishing company for authors, run by authors, blending the best of traditional and independent publishing.

Just-Us League members Renee Frey, B.C. Marine, and Rebecca Mikkelson own a publishing company. I’ve invited them along to Magic Writer to chat about all things literary!

Authors 4 Authors Publishing is a start-up publishing company owned and operated by authors. Their goal is to unite authors by providing publishing services with a strong core of professionalism, knowledge, integrity, and passion in a profit-sharing cooperative setting. They pay higher royalties than most other small presses, allow more creative input and control, and help authors network and manage their platform. Every submission receives a personal response from one of the owners.

Elise: Thanks for stopping by today, guys! I’d love to know more about each of your roles within the company.

Renee: I am the Chief Operations Officer, or the link between all areas of the company. What I mostly do is try to lead us as a group to innovative solutions, and make sure that we are all on the same page with where we are going as a company, and resolve any questions or differences.

B.C.: I’m the Chief Administration Officer. Most of my duties involve keeping things organized. I draft or create templates for business documents, keep our filing system in order, and schedule and post social media content created by our members. I also function as the main liaison for state or legal matters.

Rebecca: I’m the Chief of Business Development. What my job entails is reading the full manuscripts we request from authors who submit to us and see if the book is good all the way through, or it was just a really good first chapter. I’ll also help the CAO create or approve social media content when time allows.

Elise: And you’re all authors too! What personal projects are you working on at the moment?

Renee: I have a YA fantasy retelling of the framing of Arabian Nights that I plan to release this summer (I’ll just have to actually edit it…not my favorite thing to do!). I also have an adult fantasy retelling of East of the Sun and West of the Moon that I have to finish. Of course, there are tons more ideas on my list I have to get to!

B.C.: I’m rewriting the first novel of my romantic fantasy series, and two of my short story fairy tale retellings will be expanded into novels. If all that doesn’t fill my plate, I also have an idea for a crossover of Snow White and Iron Hans.

Rebecca: I’m currently working on a six book series, called The Anatalian Series, that focuses on two main characters, Margaret Doremis and Liam Fulton, in their journeys of navigating their way through life at court and a civil war that threatens to tear the country apart.

Elise: Sounds great! I understand your company will be open to publishing a variety of genre fiction. What are your own favorite genres?

Renee: I love fantasy, but I enjoy just about any speculative fiction. My favorite is a story that has a little of everything–like CL Wilson’s romantic fantasies, which combine the depth of high fantasy with the pacing of YA while making the plot very romance centered.

B.C.: Fantasy is my absolute favorite, but I like it even better when it’s combined with another favorite like romance, mystery, science fiction, or historical fiction.

Rebecca: I keep changing my mind trying to answer this one! It’s a really hard choice between fantasy and historical fiction. You’re absolutely golden in my eyes if you combine the two.

Elise: I’m a huge fantasy fan myself. What are your favorite books?

Renee:“I would sooner choose a favorite star in the heavens!” Much like Danielle, I could never choose a favorite book! I am currently reading Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson, and LOVING it!

B.C.:I have so many favorites that I love for different reasons. I’ve reread The Chronicles of Narnia and The Phantom of the Opera many times.

Rebecca: Asking me to pick a favorite book is like asking Gollum to give up the One Ring, there are just too many to choose from.

Elise: Ah, yes picking a favorite is so hard! How about movie adaptations of books. Got any favorites there?

Renee: Probably Lord of the Rings, although to be fair I couldn’t finish those books…

B.C.: The Princess Bride by William Goldmanis the only adaptation where the book and movie are equally great and both favorites of mine.

Rebecca: Definitely Lord of the Rings. I could watch that any time and be happy about it, though I have to admit I stopped at the notorious field scene because Tolkien was just a little too verbose.

Elise: Favorite book or author quotes?

Renee: Yeah, I know WAY too many quotes to choose one. I do enjoy quoting Shakespeare, so he is probably my favorite to quote in general.

B.C.: “I am telling you your story, not hers. I tell no one any story but his own.” — Aslan in The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis

Rebecca: There are two quotes that come to mind:

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” From JRR Tolkien, which we actually have engraved on a plaque and hanging in our house to remind us of the value of what money cannot buy.

“For where there is love, the speaking is unnecessary. It is all. It is undying. And it is enough.” From Diana Gabaldon.

Elise: Great quotes. Favorite fantasy creatures?

Renee: Probably vampires–REAL vampires that are evil and hunt people, no sparkling nonsense.

B.C.: I love leprechauns and fairies. They’re tiny but chaotic.

Rebecca: I don’t think I actually have one–most of the fantasies I like to read have more magic wielders than magical animals.

Elise: And finally, favorite romantic literary couple!

Renee: From classical literature, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy–their relationship reminds me a lot of me and my husband. From Shakespeare (since he is his own genre!) Benedick and Beatrice, same reason as Lizzie and Darcy. From recent reading, anything BC Marine writes–because I ADORE her romances!

B.C.: It’s hard to pick. Kale and Bardon from the Dragon Keeper Chronicles by Donita K. Paul have a great friendship and partnership as a couple. For a sweet romance, Marcus and Hadassah from The Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers. For a more passionate couple, Jamie and Claire from Outlander.

Rebecca: Definitely would have to be Colonel Brandon and Marianne Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility. It probably doesn’t help that I was first introduced to the story via the movie, and I had a huge crush on Alan Rickman.

Elise: Lizzie and Darcy get my vote too! It was great having you guys, thanks once again.

If you are interested in submitting work to Authors 4 Authors Publishing, check out their website, or connect with them on Facebook or Instagram.

Renee Frey – Chief Operating Officer

Renee has been published in two anthologies and is currently working on two standalone novels with two series in pre-development. She enjoys reading and writing fantasy for both adults and young adults. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, Mike, and their two dogs: a puggle named Ziggy and a chihuahua named Megatron. When she is not writing, she makes her living in instructional design, technical writing, and teaching dance.

B.C. Marine – Chief Administration Officer

B.C. Marine’s superpowered romantic fantasy is heavily influenced by the beautiful Pacific Northwest, where she lives with her husband and two sons. Hairdresser by day and full-time mother all the time, she sometimes has to negotiate with her family to get time to write, and the scenic views of Western Washington provide plenty of inspiration for her settings. She loves knitting and spends far too much time researching her stories.

Rebecca Mikkelson – Chief of Business Development

Rebecca Mikkelson has been writing fantasy stories since her early teens for fun and is thrilled to turn her dream into a reality this coming spring when she will be published for the first time in an anthology. She currently lives in Hawaii with her husband of six years where they enjoy not going outside and avoiding the scare ball in the sky. In her free time, Rebecca likes to cross stitch to relax.